The Wealth in Friends

Cheers to living life fully and to having genuine friends to share it with. I love having deep conversations with my friends. We discuss life, the uncertainty of our futures, we share what inspires us, what touches us and what we experience, observe, and learn. Each person contributes something different and my life is more interesting because of it. They challenge me to think, introduce new ideas and inspire me. I can only hope that I do the same for them.

I had a conversation with my friend Hannah as we were walking to the movie theater to see Into the Wild (which, by the way, is an AMAZING MOVIE). Hannah brought up a good point - some people just don't "go there" with their friends. They don't engage in deep conversations in which true feelings are shared, insecurities are brought forth and life is challenged. Some people don't attempt to scratch the surface of certain friendships. I say "some people," but even I, a self proclaimed deep conversation enthusiast, have friendships in which I don't delve deep.

Is there an unspoken agreement with some people that says you'll only discuss what's on the surface? Do some engage in deep conversations more often than others? Why? Are some people naturally deep while others aren't? Do some become deep as a result of a life stage or combination of experiences? Do some never experience an intimate moment in which they expose themselves in conversation or question life? This, I doubt. I think it's human nature to share, to question, and to wonder.

What isn't human nature is sharing the depth of one's life and life in general with everyone. I believe that everything in life has a purpose. Each relationship/friendship has a purpose. Some friendships serve to make you laugh. Others help you pass the time or simply keep you company. Whether you only socialize with the person while at work or they're your chick flick buddy, they have a purpose. I struggle with this idea each time I move. I always know that I'll be in contact with my close friends, but it's the other people, the ones I talked to while at work, ones I saw once in a while that I know I won't keep in touch with. Instead of trying to remain friends I've come to realize that they served a purpose.

I wish I always shared what I think. I don't always tell people how much they mean to me or how great a particular moment truly is. I realized recently that simply telling a person that you care, means a lot. It really does.

Cheers to quality friendships. It's interesting how a friendship becomes quality. Some people, you just click with; instant friends, instant openness, instant truth. Others, it's a process, a journey. You slowly let them in and build a relationship in which you can expose your true self. If you surround yourself with activities you love, you're bound to meet like-minded people. One of the reasons why I love traveling is because I meet people that are similar to me; people who have similar outlooks on life.

Life is amazing. People are fascinating. I challenge you to dive deep. Explore. Learn from yourself and others. Live. Speak. Discuss.